The Influence Theory: Factors That Influence the Transfer Advising Process

The transfer rate from community college to four-year institutions has been dropping for the past 70 years. In the most recent statistics, the national rate of transfer is 23% (Cohen & Brawer, 2008). In the state of Alabama the transfer rate is approximately 4%, and in the rural counties of Alabama the transfer rate hovers around 1%. Many studies have been conducted on the transfer process, but none have focused on the transfer process from a theoretical perspective. Most studies focus attention on disparate pieces of the transfer puzzle. To date, there is no overarching theory of the transfer process that will bring coherence to this field of study. This study views the transfer process through the experience of nine transfer advisors who serve students in 11 community colleges located in rural counties in the state of Alabama. The findings establish a substantive theory that will provide a contextual framework for researchers who wish to study specific features of the transfer process. The Influence Theory establishes five factors that play a prominent role in the transfer advising process: institutional, cultural, contextual, advisor, and student. This article concludes with implications for practice and future research.     

FACULTY DEVELOPMENT IN PUBLICLY SUPPORTED 2-YEAR COLLEGES

A comprehensive study of faculty development in community colleges was undertaken to identify the organizational components that nurture good teaching. A review of the literature revealed several variables for assessing the state of faculty development. The most important of these appears to be an institutional climate that encourages faculty development. This article reports the results of a survey of 130 community colleges regarding faculty development efforts. It also profiles those accountable for faculty development and summarizes the extent to which each development activity is available to faculty members. One significant finding is that faculty development in American community colleges lacks leadership and is not well connected to the colleges missions.     

A Profile of Giving Patterns and Donor Behavior at a Suburban Community College

Community colleges have become increasingly reliant on diversifying their revenue sources, and turning to private fund raising has become a common strategy for many of them. Although fund raising has been a common practice in higher education since its inception, it has only emerged in the two-year college sector in the past several decades. The current study sought to identify donors at a case study, suburban community college, specifically exploring giving patterns over time and testing the conceptual framework of a pyramid of giving that overlays institutional involvement and commitment with giving levels. Major infrastructure inconsistencies prevented much of the framework testing, but data were capable of creating an initial donor and giving profile for a typical community college. This profile demonstrated that board members and employees were the most loyal and consistent in making contributions, but that these gifts often were stable over time and did not increase to become major gifts. Also, private business and industry gifts were often given at the same level as individual gifts, perhaps illustrating the responsiveness and cooperation between community colleges and the local workforce.     

MINNESOTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY ACTIVITIES AND ATTITUDES, 1956–1980

A six‐page questionnaire sent in 1980 to a 25% random sample of teachers in Minnesota's 18 public community colleges provides information that is compared with similar information collected in 1956 and 1968. The nature and extent of professional activities, sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction with careers, attitudes toward collective bargaining, and some demographic variables of Minnesota community college teachers are described and compared.

Minnesota community college faculty members in 1980 were generally contented, as they were in 1956 and 1968. In all periods they spent most of their time on teaching‐related activities. Although the proportion involved in consulting with schools, business, and industry has doubled in the past 12 years, faculty involvement in off‐campus services is still limited. Research and scholarly writing is not a function of most of the faculty. About three‐fourths of the respondents supported collective bargaining in 1980. The most serious source of dissatisfaction, reported by 40% of the respondents in 1980 was inadequate salary. The chief source of satisfaction reported in all three periods was the opportunity to help college‐age students learn and develop. Implications of the results for a re‐examination of community college functions are discussed.

The pecking order in this state does not reflect the major contribution of this system to higher education. Working conditions, particularly in terms of load and support services are primitive. Financial rewards, the status and extra income of consulting fees are severely limited. I can no longer afford five percent salary increases and twenty percent inflation. I am currently looking for a position in private industry, which seems to have the resources education does not. (Sociology instructor)

I cannot remember a profession/job that could be more personally rewarding, spiritually constructive or totally satisfying as college teaching. (English/history instructor)     

CORRECTIONAL POST‐SECONDARY EDUCATION: THE EXPANDING ROLE OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES

More than 75 percent of post‐secondary institutions offering education programs in prisons are community and vocational/ technical colleges. The predominance of community colleges among correctional education providers is a major change from the early 1970's when two‐thirds of such programs were provided by four‐year institutions.

Over 260 community colleges provide programs and services to the 26,000 inmates participating in higher education. Results of a survey on correctional post‐secondary education indicate that these programs are in many ways different from those educational institutions provide on their own campuses. For example, they generally, have different admission standards, are administered by part‐time staff, and rely upon part‐time and adjunct faculty.

Community and junior college administrators are urged to closely examine the operation and quality of their correctional programs and the need for evaluative research on the long‐term effects of these programs is also stressed.     

Comparisons of Four Methods for Estimating a Dynamic Factor Model

Four methods for estimating a dynamic factor model, the direct autoregressive factor score (DAFS) model, are evaluated and compared. The first method estimates the DAFS model using a Kalman filter algorithm based on its state space model representation. The second one employs the maximum likelihood estimation method based on the construction of a block-Toeplitz covariance matrix in the structural equation modeling framework. The third method is built in the Bayesian framework and implemented using Gibbs sampling. The fourth is the least squares method, which also employs the block-Toeplitz matrix. All 4 methods are implemented in currently available software. The simulation study shows that all 4 methods reach appropriate parameter estimates with comparable precision. Differences among the 4 estimation methods and related software are discussed.     

THE ENTANGLING WEB OF COMMITTEE USE IN GOVERNANCE

Learning a second language is often very difficult for many adults. This literature review points to a number of factors which may affect second language learning in adults. Teaching and program implications are suggested for community and junior college educators.     

Noncognitive Variables and Student Learning in Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS)

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate the relationship between participation in Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) at California Valley College (CVC) (one of the 113 California Community Colleges in California) and several measures of student learning. An embedded survey design was developed using William Sedlacek’s noncognitive questionnaire (NCQ), items from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE), items based on Marcia Baxter Magolda’s epistemological reflection model of cognitive complexity, and items based on student learning outcomes for learning in EOPS. The survey had a 43.7% response rate. Students’ demographic characteristics, progress data, and grades were also collected. The survey concluded with four open-ended questions examining students’ perceptions about their learning. GPA (grade point average) as an outcome measure, and several NCQ scales were positively correlated with the Learning in EOPS Scale. Qualitative and mixed methods analyses extended statistical findings, highlighting the importance of positive outlook, positive self-concept, realistic self-appraisal, and support for learning. Finally, the study found that students’ academic and social involvement played a noteworthy role in students’ development, especially as related to cognitive complexity and learning in EOPS.     

Doing it the Community College Way: Community College-Specific Programming

ABSTRACT

Community colleges are often boxed into university models despite the unique nature of their institutional missions and student populations. We believe community colleges need to develop their own models, rooted in their distinctive missions, to encourage student success. We illustrate this through our experience with a short-term research assistantship program. The program created a brief, but important, way to enhance the student–professor relationship and engage students in applied research practices. It also provided a resource to assist community college faculty in conducting their own, original research. We hope others will not only develop similar programs, but perhaps more importantly, that this article will spur bottom-up, creative thinking to engage time-constrained, community college students in meaningful ways.     

Binomial index of model fit: An elaboration

This article is an elaboration on the use of the binomial test of model fit value, which in this article will be referred to as the binomial index of model fit value, to gauge the degree that the data fit a path analytic or structural equation model. In addition, this article responds to the criticisms and comments made by Hsu (this issue), Drezner and Drezner (this issue), and Raykov and Penev (this issue) regarding the use of this approach to measuring the degree of model fit. We appreciate the comments provided by these authors. Their comments have assisted us in clarifying our reason for developing the binomial index of model fit procedure as well as our perception of its use.